Identification of candidate leg chemosensory genes associated with nursing behavior in the Apis mellifera

Through RNA transcriptome sequencing, the chemosensory proteins in the forelegs, middle legs, and hind legs of nurse bees that may be involved in adult close or contact chemical communication were studied. A total of 56 candidate chemosensory-related proteins, including 17 odorant-binding proteins (OBPs), 5 chemosensory proteins (CSPs), 6 gustatory receptors (GRs), 3 ionotropic receptors (IRs), 2 sensory neuron membrane proteins (SNMPs), and 23 odorant receptors (ORs), were identified from the assembled leg transcriptome. These results lay a foundation for further research on the chemoreception of legs in the honey bee A. mellifera.